Done with manual trans.

[BeanCounter]

Originally Posted By: severach
What are you calling highway?

1994 Pontiac Grand Am 4 cyl, 2.3 L SOHC, Automatic 3-spd, (FFS) (MPFI), Regular, EPA old=22/32, new=19/29.

3 speeds are maligned for bad gas mileage. I get 30 average at 50/50 and 33 pure highway on E10. That means city is 27.

Is my mixed 29+1 or 32-2?


I am referring to highway mileage as the EPA hwy number listed for the car, so I believe you understood me correctly.

 

[Steve S]

I had to bring this post up!!! I Hate auto [censord] matic transmissions. If I were king of the USA the first thing I would do is ban them!

 

[d00df00d]

Whoa. Even I wouldn't go that far.

 

[Steve S]

I have driven 3 on the trees to 13 speed roadrangers I am dated and auto trans suck big time.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I had to bring this post up!!! I Hate auto [censord] matic transmissions. If I were king of the USA the first thing I would do is ban them!


You wouldn't if you were over 65 with bad knees.

Bet you have trouble with your auto, right?

 

[wander2039]

Wow a old thread. Still rocking the auto's don't miss the manuals one bit. The old 3 speed in the 'stiva shifts smooth as butter with a little bit of M1.

 

[Audi Junkie]

We have both cars as manuals now. I'm getting left ankle surgery later in the week which should help out with my condition. It limited my ability to drive manual for a while, but I got some injections that helped.

So few cars are sold w/manuals now. I don't know if it will help or hurt resale.

 

[BlownF150]

Won't help it certainly.



For the few manual transmission homers in here you might want to do a little brushing up on your history concerning the automotive transmission. There is a reason why manual transmissions have seen very little development in the last 50 years while automatics have made huge strides. In the end they'll be more efficient. Ferrari is dropping traditional manual transmissions, so is Lamborghini, and eventually so will Porsche in favor of DSG's. Especially with manufacturers moving towards smaller engines with turbochargers they are only going to look at sophisticated automatics and DSG's to get the most out of those engines.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: Steve S
I had to bring this post up!!! I Hate auto [censord] matic transmissions. If I were king of the USA the first thing I would do is ban them!


You wouldn't if you were over 65 with bad knees.

Bet you have trouble with your auto, right?
No problem I have been driving my dads 96 Toyota truck 58,000 miles and maintained like a 747 it runs great . The auto trans ruins a good truck. I really do not like autos I would rather take command and drive the car.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: BlownF150
Won't help it certainly.



For the few manual transmission homers in here you might want to do a little brushing up on your history concerning the automotive transmission. There is a reason why manual transmissions have seen very little development in the last 50 years while automatics have made huge strides. In the end they'll be more efficient. Ferrari is dropping traditional manual transmissions, so is Lamborghini, and eventually so will Porsche in favor of DSG's. Especially with manufacturers moving towards smaller engines with turbochargers they are only going to look at sophisticated automatics and DSG's to get the most out of those engines.
I like manuals I wouldn't purchase for myself if there was a choice a vehicle with an auto unless I needed one .

 

[Dualie]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I have driven 3 on the trees to 13 speed roadrangers I am dated and auto trans suck big time.


I still own a 3 on the tree vehicle and an unsynchronized 18spd. In anything under 33K GVW gimme a slush box.

 

[Tornado Red]

Originally Posted By: BlownF150
For the few manual transmission homers in here you might want to do a little brushing up on your history concerning the automotive transmission. There is a reason why manual transmissions have seen very little development in the last 50 years while automatics have made huge strides.


My first car had a 3-speed shifter on the steering column. The first car I bought had a 4-speed on the floor. My first really good car had a 4-speed on the floor, and it was succeeded by one with a 5-speed on the floor.

I'm happy with the 5-speed transmission I have now, but if I have to replace my Golf then the next one will have a 6-speed manual transmission.

I actually know that automatics are getting better and better, but that means nothing to me; I am not interested.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
I own both and hope to be able to continue to buy both in the future.

Would you guys around here call it "nanny state" if I said I think it should be a mandatory part of drivers ed? I think it's stupid that so many these days cant drive a MT.
My cousin taught me to drive a Manual on a ranch truck when I was in 5th grade because he was picking up some bales of hay and it was too much work for him to drive and pick up the bales. I am 57 years old and when I took drivers ed. I think in the summer of 1968 there were manual transmissions the students had to learn .It was really good being able at the time to drive a manual.

 

[Steve S]

I could see a problem texting while driving with a manual trans though!!

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Dualie
Originally Posted By: Steve S
I have driven 3 on the trees to 13 speed roadrangers I am dated and auto trans suck big time.


I still own a 3 on the tree vehicle and an unsynchronized 18spd. In anything under 33K GVW gimme a slush box.
I never drove an 18 speed but you don't need syncros if your good!!! That being said it has been probably 15 years since I driven a big truck so I won't brag.

 

[Dualie]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I could see a problem texting while driving with a manual trans though!!


Meh its not as hard as you would think... I drive all my stick shift transmissions like their unsynchronized. Clutch only gets used for starts and stops or when i cant break torque.

 

[Nick R]

I have to laugh at the "BAN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS!!!!!111!1!1one!" people. If you don't like automatics... Don't drive them! There are still a few cars with manuals out there, get one of those. Stop complaining about how driving an automatic means that you aren't in control of car. Yes you are. You still have a steering wheel right? Gas pedal? Brake pedal? Yes? Then you are in control of the car! Automatics have alot of benefits to them. In very poor road and visiblity conditions I'd rather be able to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. Clearly, the majority of the population, and the automakers, disagree that manuals are better. Newer automatics even get better gas mileage than manuals.

 

[BlownF150]

Originally Posted By: Tornado Red
I actually know that automatics are getting better and better, but that means nothing to me; I am not interested.



That all and good for you....no cookies available though.

 

[greenjp]

Originally Posted By: BlownF150
For the few manual transmission homers in here you might want to do a little brushing up on your history concerning the automotive transmission. There is a reason why manual transmissions have seen very little development in the last 50 years while automatics have made huge strides. In the end they'll be more efficient. Ferrari is dropping traditional manual transmissions, so is Lamborghini, and eventually so will Porsche in favor of DSG's. Especially with manufacturers moving towards smaller engines with turbochargers they are only going to look at sophisticated automatics and DSG's to get the most out of those engines.

It's possible (not certain) that automatics will end up being truly more fuel efficient than manuals sometime down the road. But you can't just look at fuel ecomony in a bubble - you have to account for total ownership cost. That 50 year old manual tech works, is inexpensive, and is reliable. Computer controlled DSGs with all sorts of electrical and hydraulic controls are expensive, require maintenance, and are a guaranteed high cost repair item.

The reason manuals have seen very little development in the past 50 years is because they are nearly perfected. Add automatic throttle blipping on downshifts (the 370z has an option for this) and you're pretty much done. There's an elegant simplicity to the manual transmission that no fancy automatic can match. Hmm, cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, more fun to drive. No brainer.

jeff

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Clearly, the majority of the population, and the automakers, disagree that manuals are better. Newer automatics even get better gas mileage than manuals.


In the real world of driving manuals with a decent driver best their EPA MPG figures. Even Consumer Reports found this in their own testing of MPG (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/...-vs-auto-ov.htm)

I don't think any agenda going with them, just the data they ran into testing the vehicles.

In the end its personal preference.